Rocky Mountain National Park
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK • COLORADO • UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HAROLD L. ICKES, Secretary NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ARNO B. CAMMERER, Director ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK COLORADO OPEN ALL YEAR SUMMER SEASON JUNE 15 TO SEPTEMBER 20 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 1934 CONTENTS PAGE LAND OF LOFTY MOUNTAINS I EASY TO STUDY GLACIAL ACTION 2 LONGS PEAK 4 RULES AND REGULATIONS WILD FLOWERS, CANYONS, AND LAKES .... 5 WILD LIFE 8 The park regulations are designed for the protection of your property. ANIMALS 8 You, as prudent owners, will help protect the natural beauties and scenery BIRDS 9 by warning the careless and reporting infractions of the regulations. The FLOWERS 11 following synopsis is for the general guidance of visitors. Full regulations TREES 11 may be seen at the office of the superintendent and ranger stations. AUTOMOBILE TRIPS 12 Permits.—No permits are required for the operation of private auto DENVER CIRCLE TRIP 12 FALL RIVER ROAD '5 mobiles or motorcycles. Automobiles will be stopped for checking at park BEAR LAKE ROAD 15 entrances. Cars carrying passengers for profit are subject to restrictions. LOOP TRIP 15 Fires may be lighted only when necessary and in designated places. LONGS PEAK AND WILD BASIN TRIP . 16 Before leaving, KNOW your fire is out. HELP PROTECT this wonderland so TRAIL TRIPS 16 all may enjoy it. THE FLATTOP TRAIL 16 Camps.—Automobile campers must stop in the designated camp grounds. LAWN LAKE 20 All must be kept clean and sanitary. Burn your garbage in your camp fire. FERN AND ODESSA LAKES 22 Empty cans and residue must be placed in garbage cans. If no can is ROMANTIC LOCH VALE 22 provided bury the refuse. GLACIER GORGE 23 25 Trees, flowers, and animals.—The destruction, injury, or disturb THE TWIN SISTERS 25 ance of trees, flowers, rocks, birds, or animals or other life is prohibited. ASCENT OF LONGS PEAK CHASM LAKE 26 Fishing.—Fishing is permitted in all lakes and streams except as closed WILD BASIN 26 by order of the superintendent. A Colorado State license is requested for GRAND LAKE 27 males over 16 years of age. All fish hooked less than 7 inches long shall WHAT TO DO 27 be carefully handled with moist hands and returned at once to the water. FISHING 28 Fifteen fish (not exceeding a total of 1 o pounds) shall constitute the limit for HORSEBACK RIDING AND CAMPING . 30 a day's catch. PUBLIC CAMP GROUNDS 30 Automobiles.—Obey park traffic rules. Drive carefully at all times. WINTER SPORTS 30 The SPEED LIMIT is 20 miles per hour on grades and curves, and on straight NATURALIST SERVICE 31 stretches of road 35 miles per hour. ADMINISTRATION 3i Dogs and cats.—Must be kept securely on a leash while in the park. PARK SEASON 3i If you have no leash, keep the animal in your car. ACCOMODATIONS AND EXPENSES 32 Park rangers.—Are for your protection and guidance. Do not hesi HOTELS AND LODGES 32 ALL-EXPENSE CIRCLE TRIPS FROM DENVER . tate to consult them. 33 TRANSPORTATION IN THE PARK 33 TRANSPORTATION TO THE PARK 34 PRIVATE HOTELS AND CAMPS 34 COTTAGES 35 REFERENCES 36 DISTANCES TO PRINCIPAL POINTS OF INTEREST . 38 THE PARK'S MOUNTAIN PEAKS 4-2 ["] IMPORTANT EVENTS IN ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK HISTORY 1820. Maj. Stephen H. Long, commanding an exploring party sent out by President Madison in 1819, first sighted Longs Peak. Park area frequented by Arapahoe and Ute Indians. ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK 1843. Refus B. Sage, another explorer, visited the area and later pub Rocky Mountain National Park includes within its boundaries 405 lished earliest known description in "Rocky Mountain Life, or square miles, or 259,411 acres, of the Front Range of the Rockies in Startling Scenes and Perilous Adventures in the Far West During north-central Colorado, about 50 miles in a straight line northwest of an Expedition of Three Years". Denver. It was established by the act of Congress approved January 26, 1859. Joel Estes, the first white settler, entered the park and in i860 1915, and its boundaries adjusted by the acts of Congress approved Feb built the first cabin. ruary 14, 1917, June 9, 1926, and June 21, 1930. Its eastern gateway is 1865. Charles F. Estes, first white child born in the park. the beautiful valley village of Estes Park, from which easy and comfort 1868. First ascent of Longs Peak. The climb was made by William N. able access is had up to the noblest heights and into the most picturesque Byers, Maj. J. W. Powell, and five other men. recesses of the mountains. 1868. Rocky Mountain Jim, adventurer and frontiersman, settled in area. Rocky Mountain National Park is by far the most accessible of our 1869. Earl of Dunraven, famous English sportsman, first visited this area. national parks; that is, nearest to the large centers of population in the 1871. The Hayden Geographical Survey, under Dr. E. V. Hayden, East and Middle West. worked in this region. 1874. First stage established between Longmont and Estes Park. LAND OF LOFTY MOUNTAINS 1874. Albert Bierstadt, famous artist, first visited the region. For many years the Front Range of the Rockies has been the mecca of 1876. First wedding in the park: Anna Ferguson and Richard Hubbell. the mountain lovers of this country. The name conjures European ideas 1878. First hotel built by Earl of Dunraven. 1881. First public school established and held in Elkhorn Lodge. of American mountain grandeur. The selection of this particular section, 1881. The Denver, Utah & Pacific Railroad built to Lyons and projected with its magnificent and diversified scenic range, for national park status, met with popular approval. to Pacific Ocean through Fall River and Milner Passes by Milner, It is splendidly representative. In nobility, in calm dignity, in the sheer chief engineer for the company. glory of stalwart beauty, there is no mountain group to excel the com 1900. Bear Lake fire. pany of snow-capped veterans of all the ages which stands at everlasting 1904. Big Thompson Canyon road completed. parade behind its grim, helmeted captain, Longs Peak. 1907. Automobile stage line established between Estes Park and Loveland. There is probably no other scenic neighborhood of the first order which 1909. Automobile stage line established between Estes Park and Lyons. 1912. Fall River Road begun. Completed in 1920. combines mountain outlines so bold with a quality of beauty so intimate and refined. Just to live in the valley in the eloquent and ever-changing 1915. Rocky Mountain National Park established January 26. presence of these carved and tinted peaks is in itself satisfaction. But to 1916. National Park Service Act passed August 25. climb into their embrace, to know them in the intimacy of their bare sum 1917. Stephen T. Mather, first Director of National Park Service. 1924. Administration building completed. mits and their flowered glaciated gorges, is to turn a new, unforgettable page in human experience. 1927. Bear Lake road completed. This national park is certainly very high up in the air. The summer 1929. State of Colorado ceded jurisdiction to Federal Government. 1930. Never Summer Range area added to the park. visitors who live at the base of the great mountains are 8,000 feet, or 1932. Trail Ridge Road opened. 282,980 persons visited the park. more than a mile and a half, above the level of the sea; while the moun 1933. Two C.C.C. camps operated during summer. tains themselves rise precipitously nearly a mile, and often even higher. 1933. 291,934 persons visited the park. Longs Peak, the largest of them all, rises 14,255 feet above sea level, and [iv] 459150—34 [I] Rocky Mountain National Park—Colorado Rocky Mountain National Park—Colorado most of the other mountains in the Snowy Range, as it is sometimes called, are more than 12,000 feet high; several are nearly as high as Longs Peak. The valleys on both sides of this range and those which penetrate into its recesses are dotted with parklike glades clothed in a profusion of glow ing wild flowers and watered with cold streams from the mountain snows and glaciers. Forests of pine and silver-stemmed aspen separate them. The range lies, roughly speaking, north and south. The gentler slope is on the west. On the east side the descent from the Continental Divide is precipitous in the extreme. Sheer drops of two or three thousand feet into rock-bound gorges carpeted with snow patches and wild flowers are common. Seen from the east-side valleys this range rises in daring relief, craggy in outline, snow spattered, awe inspiring. In the northeast corner lies a spur from the Continental Divide, the Mummy Range, a tumbled majestic mountain mass which includes some of the loftiest peaks and one of the finest glaciers. To the south of Longs Peak the country grows even wilder. The range is a succession of superb peaks. The southern park boundary unfortu nately cuts arbitrarily through a superlative massing of noble snow-covered summits. The west side, gentler in its slopes and less majestic in its mountain massings, is a region of loveliness and wildness diversified by splendid mountains, innumerable streams and lakes of great charm. Grand Lake, which has railroad connections near by, is one of the largest natural lakes in Colorado and the deepest lake in this region. It has a growing cottage and hotel population, and is destined to become a center of much import ance. The Trail Ridge road crosses the Continental Divide and connects Estes Park on the east side with Grand Lake on the west side.